


Uncontained

by BirdHummingAlong



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Comedy, Eventual Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2018-12-17 01:36:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11841252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BirdHummingAlong/pseuds/BirdHummingAlong
Summary: A.U Kagome knew she was a wanted girl. Her mother of course wanted her, so did her friends, and even some of the boys at school. She just never imagined she'd end up being wanted by outlaws, DEAD or ALIVE! When Inuyasha is hired to kidnap her, she falls into the role of a wanted girl who has yet to discover the untapped power within her.





	1. Eating Chocolate

Disclaimer: The characters in this fanfic belong to Rumiko Takahashi, but all the candy in the store is mine! And I'm _not_ sharing.

A/N: And another thing!...please enjoy the story ðŸ˜Š

O.O

Kagome was gazing dreamily out a large, shiny, window panes at the blank gray sky that blended into the side walk when something caught her eye.

Some caramels she had been packing into a bag for an order were glistening invitingly at her. She shrugged, who was she to deny them the housing of her stomach. No customers, no harm in a snack. _Oh ho ho, for me? Don't mind if I do._ She threw one in her mouth.

"Kagome, did I just see you eat a caramel?" Her manager had opened the backroom door and was sticking his head out to the side from it.

"No!" Kagome replied automatically, then remembered that she didn't like to lie "Ah. Yeeeees." She amended with a sheepish smile.

"Well stop it!"

"Okay, if I must." She sighed dramatically and he shut the door with a huff. She snorted, _totally worth it._

The glass door glimmered with movement and a happy looking woman whose belly said she had a very close relationship with candy walked in. She was quickly followed by a young man with dark shades, a red cap, and long black hair in a ponytail that swished saucily as he walked.

She would have thought he was a girl if it weren't for his muscular build and masculine cut clothing. It was rare to get attractive customers that were single so she didn't even dream of flirting with him. Instead she wondered what kind of girlfriend he had, probably prettyâ€¦and nice since he was buying her chocolates.

Kagome stopped her musings when the woman stopped and looked around with wide eyes. "Oh, my, I've never seen it so empty in here!" She then changed her directory towards Kagome, or really the giant candy counter Kagome was standing behind.

"Yeah we heard you were coming so we cleared the store." She joked wryly. "Here, I've got some samples for you guys." She got two samples ready in her hand.

Predictably the woman laughed and practically leapt gleefully at her sample. The young man didn't though, instead he ignored her and went to browse the store.

_Fine, no free chocolate for you Mr.I-have-things-to-do-people-to-buy-chocolates-for-and-no-time-for-commoncurtosy._

Kagome gave the nice woman his sample as well and carried on with her.

Then the rush came. One after another, often two or three at a time, the customers started moseying on in, too many for Kagome to keep a line from forming. More employees clocked in and danced behind the candy counter to keep up with customer demands. Soon the room was filled with the eager bustle of people who loved their candy and wanted it _now_.

Kagome couldn't complain though, she only worked at Chewie's Chocolates, once or twice a week for some spending money. And who was she to begrudge people their sweets, she was addicted herself.

Speaking of, a dark chocolate nugget she had been packing into a box had unluckily come into contact with her finger. It would be such a shame to just throw it away after replacing it with an uncontaminated oneâ€¦.

Her customer, a blond with pretty blue eyes that were glued to her phone, wasn't going to be noticing anything anytime soon. Kagome snuck a bite of the treatâ€¦so it wouldn't go to waste.

"I saw that!" she heard a perky voice singsong. Kagome swallowed quickly, too quickly. She coughed discretely into her elbow.

"Ayumi!" She managed, immediately recognizing the voice. She looked up and saw that one of her best friends was standing next to her oblivious customer. How she'd managed to bypass the huge lineâ€¦well, it was a feat she was sure only her friend could manage without enraging the population of chocolate lovers.

"Hey there Kagome!"

" Ayumi, I thought we banned you from the store! On your left Kagome." Kagome's manager Hitaro said fondly. Jumping in as he grabbed some chocolate almonds near Kagome's elbow for another customer, never passing up the opportunity to flirt with a cute girl, no matter how unsuitable the age. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"I snuck back in, don't tell the manager kay?" Ayumi winked shamelessly.

Kagome coughed, this time not discretely. "Gross" and flipped a lid onto her finished box. "I'll be done with this customer in a minute, and come help you."

By the time she'd finished ringing her customer up, Yuka had joined Ayumi.

"I hear you might have some chocolates hereâ€¦" Yuka remarked with a shrewd glance at the case showing a gleaming display of hundreds of chocolates.

"Really, where'd ya hear that?" Kagome put her elbows on the counter and set her head in her hands.

Yuka flipped her hair. "Oh. A little bird told meâ€¦and you guys have a sign."

"Well if the sign says soâ€¦" Kagome reasoned with pursed lips. "You know what? We might have that thing you've been talking about called chocolate."

They grinned at each other, and Kagome wanted to laugh as she became aware of the customers starting to look at them like they were crazy.

"Soâ€¦" Ayumi interrupted, impatient for her sweets. "I'd like to try that one, and that one, and this one. Ooh, that one looks good too, gotta try it."

"Sure sure." Kagome said putting the samples together. "Do you want to _buy_ any candy?" she inquired.

"Nope, that'll do. You're off in thirty right?" She asked, as Kagome's manager helped build a small bag of chocolates for Yuka, who actually wanted to buy some.

"Yup."

"We're going to meet Eri at Cold Things and wait for you there. We want to get shakes!"

"Even though you have all this chocolate?" Kagome asked, looking wide eyed at the pile in her hands, part of which Ayumi was already shoveling into her mouth.

"Yeah, so?" Ayumi's eyes widened as she looked at Kagome with legitimate confusion.

"That's a lot of sugar." Kagome explained.

"Since when have we cared about that?" Ayumi asked as she caught Kagome discreetly throwing a couple of chocolate raisins in her mouth.

"Sinph Whe strumpsh it."

"What?"

Kagome gulped her guilty treat in surprise, she had thought she was being discreet. "I don't know, since we started eating a lot of it? I think maybe it's time I start cutting back," she revealed as she tucked a peanut butter patty she had accidentally touched into her apron. "I think I'm getting addicted."

"Good luck with that!" Yuka snorted and sauntered over from where she had finished with Kagome's boss. She gestured to the wide windows, and the girls turned to regard the now brightly lit outdoors and clear blue sky. "It's sweltering out there. You could fry a chicken on the side walkâ€¦or a Hojo." She snickered and Kagome wrinkled her nose, wishing Yuka could go one week without having to mention Kagome's unfortunate ex.

"There isn't enough meat on Hojo to do that." Ayumi quipped, suddenly feeling very loyal to Kagome.

Yuka sighed dreamily, "Nope, just LOTS of muscle."

"What!" Ayumi and Kagome shouted as they turned wide, disbelieving eyes onto the short haired girl. Yuka returned their looks with a devious smile.

"I ran into him when stopping by my brother's gym the other day. He's been working out over the break." Yuka paused and leaned in to whisper and the girls followed the movement, leaning in closer. Kagome unconsciously had leaned so far over the counter her feet no longer touched the ground. "And I'll tell youâ€¦those abs and that assâ€”"

Unfortunately, someone was eavesdropping on them. "Excuse me Kagome." Kagome's feet dropped to the floor as she suddenly righted herself and turned at the tap on her shoulder. Her eyes snapped to her boss's.

"Yes?" she asked, flushed, and a little worried she was about to be faced with two unfortunate outcomes to their conversation. She was either going to be missing out on the juiciest part of the gossipâ€¦or was about to get fired.

"Your break is over."

"But I wasn't on a breakâ€¦" she replied, searching her boss's face and finding a pointed, unamused look on it. "Eeexactly." He drawled.

Kagome gulped quickly enough realizing her error. "Okay, one second." She turned back to her friends who were giggling shamelessly and hissed, "look I don't care what Hojo does or how he looks anymore." she said, lifting her chin. And honestly she couldn't understand their continued obsession with him eitherâ€¦She was like so, so over him.

"Oh?" her friends challenged, exchanging glances.

"That's right, I have far more important things on my mind, like work andâ€¦yes, I'm very busy so you two should go, I'll see you soon okay!" She shooed them away.

Kagome listened to their snickering up until they exited before sighing at the things she put up with and signaling the next customer over.

A man with long dark hair and eyes that were even darker. Youngish, but not quite her age, probably twenties walked up. Normally she could asses the friendliness of a customer with a first glance, but the only vibes she was getting were, creeper alert, and not much else. Something about him didn't sit right with her and she wasn't sure why.

Suddenly she remembered the snooty guy from earlier. He had given her a straight up crabby vibe, but otherwise seemed harmless. It was the opposite with this guy, and she pitied whatever girlfriend he was buying for. _Where did that other guy go?_ She found herself wondering _â€¦must have slipped out with the crowed._

"Hello sir," she smiled, "What can I get you?"

He gawked at her. And Kagome vaguely wondered if jaws were supposed to drop that low. "I'm not sure, are you on the menu?" He asked with a lewd grin.

Kagome balked at the suddenly bold flirtation, and on impulse leaned away a bit from the counter. She eyed him suspiciously, not sure if he was trying to be nice, or really was just a creep. There was definitely something off about him. But at least it seemed he was trying to be nice. she could handle him she decided.

"I'm not sure what kind of candy store you think this is sir, but it's not that kind. We sell candy not people." She enlightened him brightly.

"Oh?"

She nodded her head in confirmation. "Sample of our peanut brittle for you today sir?"

"I'll take _anything_ you feed me." he rumbled, raising suggestive brows.

She chose to ignore her urge to gag and instead set the cup of candy on the counter without another word. She'd dealt with weirdos before, but he was definitely her most unsettling one yet.

He took a piece out and immediately took a bite. He moaned and looked at her. She grimaced, suddenly he didn't seem so nice at all anymore.

There was an oiliness about him that made her want to run away when he looked at her. But he was a customer so that wasn't really an option.

"This is so good. I came for the candy, but will stay for those eyes and that smileâ€¦" he said.

 _Ew, so creepy_.

She wasn't even smiling anymore. She was having trouble thinking up a way to respond that didn't involve smashing his face in when suddenly a nicely muscled arm came out of now where and shoved the creepy guy away. She then found herself facing a vibrant red clothed, muscled back. "Hey, yeah. That's right I cut the line! Deal with it!"

It was the boy she had seen earlier, the rude one who was now proving to be even ruder then she had first assumed. He had shoved the creepy guy away and was turned away from her, gesturing crudely at the crowd which was openly regarding him with shock, and on some faces anger.

"Seriously, you people take forever! You're picking out chocolates, not the next damned president!" The creepy guy he had shoved had his arms crossed and was watching with a look that could kill small children. Kagome picked her jaw back off the floor when sunglasses guy suddenly turned back to her. She could almost feel his gaze piercing her from behind the dark shades, and his mouth was twisted into a scowl.

"I have been waiting behind these idiots for a goddam hour, and I got here before all of them! All I want is this one little box of lollipops." He held up one of their assorted twelve packs and waved it in her face. "NOW please."

Abruptly Kagome's manager was next to her.

"Kagome, please take this young man to register number three and ring him up. Then clock out."

"Uh, okay, Iâ€”"

There was an outraged cry from the creepy guy, "Hey! I'm not going to take thisâ€”" But he was interrupted by Kagome's manager.

"I'll be taking care of you now sir, here, more free chocolate!" Her manager grinned widely and pushed Kagome away towards register 3.

Kagome strolled to the register on the other end of the counter feeling rather surreal as she watched her manager shove more candy into the creep's hands. Her new customer had followed her easily and was standing before her with a smirk when she stopped. She watched him for a moment, wondering how to proceed. She couldn't pretend she hadn't found his attitude more than a little outrageous.

"So," she feigned a conversational tone, "why didn't you get in line sooner since, as you said, you were here first and allâ€¦"

_Where do you get off barging over and talking to people like that?_

She knew it was a really bad idea to try and aggravate an obviously temperamental and unstable customerâ€¦ She had never been very good at letting bad behavior pass without a remark. Her little brother would eagerly testify to that.

Although she was rather relieved she didn't have to deal with the creepy guy anymore, she wasn't sure this guy was a much better option. _Well, at least I don't feel him trying to undress me with his eyesâ€¦_

The smirk was swept straight off his face and he mumbled, "It took me a while to pick em out." At her unimpressed look he added defensively, "What? Is that a crime?"

"Uh, no" She responded simply with raised brows and scanned his lollipops "Would you like it gift wrapped?"

"Why the hell would I want that?"

Now Kagome wanted to know what his problem was, anything she said he seemed to be taken as some sort of attack. It was really starting to eat at her, and her grip on professionality was beginning to slip. "Because it's a gift?" she reasoned, sucking in her cheeks.

"Really? For who? A man can't buy himself a box ofâ€¦" he turned the box to read the description, "chocolate and caramel lollipop yum yum delights?"

He crossed his arms, and she didn't think it was physically possible, but his scowl somehow got deeper. _Keep that upâ€¦and you'll get major grumpy old man wrinkles!_ She warned internally.

"Of course you can, it's just, most men your age who come in here haveâ€¦"

"Have what?"

"Girlfriends." She huffed, hating having to explain herself to this idiot. "Of course none of them had your personality, so this makes _much_ more sense!" she added without thinking and then bit her lip hard.

She had never had such an outburst with a difficult customer, she couldn't believe herself. But she had really just lost a grip. Her mother had always told Kagome that her temper at its greatest strength was her greatest weakness. She prayed her manager didn't hear her and that this guy didn't suddenly flip on her. That would be just what she needed.

But to her surprise neither of those things happened. Instead he just stared at her at her for a moment with an unreadable expression. She blinked back, hoping she didn't look as scared as she suddenly felt when he finally spoke.

"Are we just gonna chat all day or are you going to let me pay so I can get out of this hell whole?" he demanded.

Letting out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding, Kagome looked away from him to her register screen. "Your total is $9.75"

She jumped a little when he slapped down a 10 and grabbed his box. "Keep the change."

"Gee thanks" she called wryly as he stormed out. "Have a nice day." She added after he slammed the door shut behind him.

_People!_

O.O

When Kagome stepped outside and the sun's rays bounced happily off the sidewalk andâ€¦straight into her eyes.

"Gah!"

She dropped her purse as she threw a hand over her eyes and seriously considered turning back. She couldn't believe how hot it had become, she had been so sheltered in the walking fridge that was Chewies Chocolate Shop. She picked up her purse and dashed to the closest shady spot for refuge.

Despite her summer clothes she could already feel sweat dotting her back. _I could really use that milkshake now._

She looked around and found that her refuge was an awning, but most of the shade lined the alleyways. The city pulsed with summer heat and people, who seemed to have no problem walking around in a sauna. Although the majority also had parasols.

Darn, she had forgotten toâ€¦own one.

She made a game of dashing from shadowed alleyways, and between people's shadows and awnings as she made her way towards Cold Things.

Now sweating from her fast movements and the heat, she jumped into her last alleyway made it half-way across with a hop and a skip and then froze. Cold Things would be just on the other side of the building but something or rather someone was in her way.

"I was hoping to see you again, I kind of miss the uniform though."

Kagome said nothing as she tried to discern his face in the shadows. She gripped her purse, she definitely didn't like the way his voice sounded.

"I was so sad to see you go before, so sweet, guile-less, and tasty. I just wanted to put you in my pocket and take you home. Maybe now I will."

Kagome gulped and took a step forward, refusing to be intimidated. It was just that sleaze ball creepy guy from the chocolate shop.

He didn't move.

"That's right come to me baby."

"Actually I'd like to get around you, but I don't think I'll mind running you down if you get in my way." She bit out, knowing it was easier said than done. He was actually much bigger than her and his eyes were crazier than she remembered. She looked around for a weapon.

There was a cardboard box, some string, a lamp shade.

 _What could I do with that? Cone of shame_ him _to death?_

With a jolt she realized that she was in a rather helpless, horror movie situation, and yet she couldn't bring herself turn her back on him and run. _What if I'm not fast enough._

"If you're looking for a weapon baby the only one you'll find is right here." She looked back at him to see him crudely whipping his hands in a pointing motion towards his crotch.

"That's not funny!" She screeched as she blushed and felt her insides freeze in fear. "Now get out of my way!" Where was that temperamental crass boy to shove this guy away when she needed him? Panic was starting to burble in her throat, and she was finding it more and more difficult to build up a scream.

He suddenly looked down. "Ah, no that's not what I meantâ€¦although..hmm..Urk..Urk!"

She stared at him dumbfounded and mute with fear as he re-swung his arms towards his crotch twice until something glinty fell from his sleeves and into his hands.

Two blades, one for each hand. And suddenly Kagome realized why he had looked so odd to her when she first saw him. He was wearing a thick longsleeved leather jacket even though they were in the middle of summer.

He smiled as he gripped the blades and looked back up at her horrified face.

The smile held no kindness or reassurance in it.

She thought maybe it was time to escape back the way she came when suddenly she heard what sounded like a seemingly large man land from nowhere just a couple of feet behind her.

She was trapped, but adrenaline had fully surged into her bones by now and she was feeling ready to run. She turned her head to see who else she would have to out run and caught a glimpse of a very large shadow but jerked her head away when she heard a clatter in front of her.

The crazy man had dropped one of his weapons and was staring in shock at whatever had magically jumped down, albeit impossibly, from what she presumed was one of the beams hanging between the buildings walls.

Since he looked like he was about to pee his pants, she really didn't want to see what had landed behind her, maybe it wasn't even a man. He pulled back the hand with the knife still in it. He was going to throw it, she had to get out of there! She screamed and made a dash past him and to freedom. In seconds she was panting as she rushed into the coolness of Cold Things, not daring to look back.

"Wow you really wanted that shake!" Ayumi laughed walking over to her.

Kagome's heart was beating so fast she couldn't form a reply, she just looked up at her friend with wide watery eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?"

O.O

The water turned a slightly disturbing shade of purple and pink as Inuyasha waded his way waist deep and it drew the blood off his body. He made sure to give his claws a good careful cleaning first, then dove straight under.

He reveled in the coolness the water provided as it surrounded him. He had spent a good portion of the day scorching up his feet on the city roof tops. This weather was a pain in his ass.

A little while later when he came up for air he relaxed and floated a little while. He had some time on his hands now, so he watched the horizon turn pink and then orange with the sunset. After it had set he hauled himself out onto an outcropping on the bridge he'd been swimming under.

Getting a claw full of silvery white, he sniffed curiously at his damp, tangled masses. Unfortunately the swim had washed all the black dye out, but he was happy to have gotten rid of the blood and stink that had gotten into it when he'd torn that bastard up. Still it was a bit of an inconvenience.

Once his clothes had dried Inuyasha twisted a simple silver ring onto a finger and watched with a frown as his gleaming claws disappeared into the sad little nubs humans called nails. Never mind the hair, he could just pass for some gay fashionista, a a cosplay fanatic, or a blonde foreigner. Whatever it took to get the job done.

O.O

A/N: Not much of a cliff hanger! But hey, who likes those anyway!

See ya next chapter!


	2. 2 probably kidnapped

O.O

 

O.O

"Chug! Chug! Chug!"

Kagome giggled as she and her friends watched two of the boys at the next couple of tables over chug size gargantuam Cold Things Perfecto Peanut Butter shakes in a face off. Their faces were looking rather blue, but the five bucks to the victor was sure to be worth brain freeze!

Eri threw an arm around Kagome's shoulders bringing her out of her sympathy brain freeze. "You feeling better Kagome?"

Kagome swiped a tear of laughter and nodded. "Much, I still can't believe the policeman didn't find anything but one of the knives. I wonder what happened after I ran off?" _or if I imagined it all._

Eri didn't seem to want to hypothesize with Kagome, so she just decided to give her shoulders another comforting squeeze. "It doesn't matter, your safe now and you gave them his description so they'll find him!" She removed he arm suddenly and gave Kagome a reproving look that immediately reminded Kagome of her mother. "Just make sure you don't go around in alleyways by yourself again. I almost had a heart attack when Ayumi waved me over and I saw your face!"

"Yeah that was pretty stupid of you Kagome." Yuka added. She had somehow managed to tear her eyes away from jubilant cheering and muscle display in time to add her own reprimand.

Kagome avoided their suddenly accusing gazes and blew bubbles into what was left of her Mucha Mocha shake, _great guys, blame the victim. "_ Yeah well it was one thirty in the afternoon, and, and, and. Bad things aren't supposed to happen when the sun is out!"

She was rather thrown off by it really. Tokyo had always been a safe place for Kagome, she'd never feared for, well, anything before. She never thought the stuff that sometimes happened on the news could happen to her.

Well it didn't and it wouldn't, that's what mattered. She knew better than to walk alone in dark alleyways by herself now, so she was safe. At least that's what she kept trying to convince herself and her mother.

"Hey I know what will make you feel better."

Kagome looked up hopefully at Eri. "Puppies?"

Eri seemed stumped by that answer for a moment, battling internally with the truth of it. "Well yes, but no! Shopping!" She recommended, practically bouncing in her seat.

Kagome was intrigued until she remembered the state her funds were in. "I mean, I guess, but we went shopping yesterday. I kind of used up my budget then" she trailed off when she saw Eri's debate face fall into place.

"You have a point, however, the summer lights festival is in two weeks." Eri paused to make sure Kagome was following long. "We should go shopping for yukatas, hair pieces and obis!"

Kagome gave her a flat look. "That's an awful long shopping list Eri."

Eri didn't even blink, completely taking the rebuff in stride. It's an important Japanese tradition, Kagome. One that we must honor and uphold with our traditional dress. We must maintain a high quality of style and honor in our garb, or our generation will fall into a degenerate state!" Eri was a bit breathless once she finished, having said most of her speech in one breath.

"Wow," Kagome gave Eri a soft round of applause. " Is that the speech you would like me to give me mother?"

Eri contrived to look demure, "if you think it would help, then yes."

Kagome had to give her props for her convincing argument. Of course, she was a bias judge. She _really_ wanted to go shopping too.

"Hmm, Okay, how about next week?" I'll have gotten to have tried that and maybe have saved some more money by then. She winked.

"I wanna come too!" Ayumi cried, making Eri, Yuka, and Kagome jump. She had suddenly deciding to pay attention since the boys had ended their contest.

"Me too." Yuka added, not one to be left out.

"Okay" Eri said, "everyone comes, how does next Friday sound?"

Kagome frowned when she realized the very festival that inspired their shopping spree would ruin her Friday. "I'll be babysitting my little brother most of Friday." She slouched down in her seat and groaned. "Mom and Grandpa are leaving early that morning to go gather supplies for the festival."

"Are you free next Saturday?" Yuka asked.

Kagome perked up, _of course, another day!_ "Yep!"

Kagome was still kind of preoccupied with the fact that her almost attacker was still on the loose. But the police were supposed to be scouring the city at the moment so she figured she was probably safe enough-ish.

"Hey do you guys think we should go to Shibuya or OW!" Ayumi threw a hand to her cheek. "What was that? OW, another one? Ick!" Ayumi's hand traveled up to find a wet waded up piece of paper that had just struck her hair.

"What is that?" Eri asked looking at her hand.

"I think, I think it's a spit ball!" Ayumi realized with a shreek. "Ew gross!" She threw it as far away from herself as she probably could. She had a bad arm so, it just landed on Yuka's sleeve.

"Ew! Watch it!" Yuka wiggled and grinded in her seat until it fell off.

Meanwhile Kagome had zoned out their antics and was investigating the crime scene. She examined the landing point of the first spit wad, the left side of Ayumi's wavy haired head, then looked to the opposite table and saw that the boys who had been in a chugging competition were now in the midst of hysterical laughter. She put two and two together and..

"Oi!" Kagome jumped up suddenly, accidentally knocking her drink over. Eri lunged to pick it up for her, wondering if maybe there was a spider on it or something.

Kagome was oblivious to her near spill as justice became more important. "Hey you! You with the weird straw and the bad bleach job, what's your problem?"

"Me?" Said a boy with long blonde hair at the table next to the girls with a hurt look, he was paused in the middle of taking a sip of his shake through a giant squiggle straw. "What did I do?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, not you." She apologized to the confused boy, immediately realizing her mistake in stereotyping. "Your hair looks great." She added, awkwardly.

"You really think so? You don't think it looks unnatural?"

"I, is it not natural?" Kagome huffed, realizing she was getting side tracked. She threw a pointed finger at the squad of boys at the other table. "I meant them!" When the blond one at that table turned wide eyes on Kagome, she added, "What's your problem?"

The boys weren't laughing anymore. The one with the bad dye job and lots of muscles stood up. "What's _your_ problem!"

Meanwhile Kagome's friends were frozen in a state of shock. They knew Kagome had a temper, but they had never seen her this bold before. They were a little scared. Mostly of her, right then, but also for her. The boys were big.

"Hey, I asked you first. OW! Seriously? Another one?" Kagome screeched, wiping a spit wad off her cheek. If they shot her again, so help her, they were not going to see tomorrow. Wow, when had she become so hostile, she wondered if she was suffering from some sort of PTSD.

She saw a flicker of movement and realized it was the brunette boy next to the one with the bad bleach job who had taken the opportunity to shoot a spit wad at her.

"That's it!" She marched over to the table. Someone needed to teach them some manners, at that person, Kagome decided, was herself.

THUMP

When her hand slammed down on their table the boys jumped in their seats. She may have taken a little pride in that. A little.

" I don't care if you think she is cute, or you're too scared to come talk to her. It doesn't give you the excuse to throw spit wads at my friend like a ten-year-old!" She told them, fixing her eyes on each, guilty individual.

"WH-what! I don't think she's cute." One of them tried to protest when Kagome stopped him in his tracks.

"Oh, don't even try!"

"Kagome, settle down, it's okay!" Kagome heard Eri call from their table, her friends had finally thawed out of their shock and were starting to murmur amongst each other.

"No, it isn't." Kagome straitened, returning her attention to the guilty party. "You need to apologize." She told them.

"Me?" asked the last one to launch a spit ball.

"All of you." she said. "If you don't start treating girls right now, you'll never find one worth having." She warned them sagely.

"Hold up, I didn't actually do anything," a handsome, black-haired boy with glasses at the back of the table said.

"Okay, except for you." Kagome agreed, but continued to glare at the rest of the guilty looking lot.

Suddenly Kagome felt an arm fall around her shoulders. She broke eye contact and looked to her right see that Yuka was beside her. "Hey Kagome, we're ready to head out. Are you?"

Kagome looked to see that on her other side was Ayumi looking bashful and Eri who was red faced and trying to hold back a laugh.

The blond boy scuttled forward eagerly, "Hey, want to introduce us to your friends?" he asked Kagome hopefully.

"No!" She barked at him. Wondering how he had the gall to even ask. She watched him fall back in disappointment, clutching at his chest as though struck through the heart with an arrow. She ignored him and turned to her friends, "Yeah, let's get out of here." And with a hair flip she began walking away, the girls following in her wake.

"But wait! We're sorry!"

"Yeah, really sorry!"

Ayumi stopped suddenly to stick her tongue out at the boys before running to catch up to Kagome, Yuka, and Eri.

"Wow, Kagome, you're so brave! I can't believe you did that!" Kagome couldn't believe she'd done that either. " Wasn't the one with glasses really cute though?" She threaded her arm cutely with Kagome's, "Like really cute?"

It didn't take a communications degree to figure out what Ayumi was getting at. Kagome stopped in her tracks. "Ayumi, we're not talking to them next time. They had their chance."

Those boys weren't fit to date a toad.

Ayumi pouted, "Aww come on, they apologized...and they're cute."

Kagome shook her head. Sometime she really wondered what went through Ayumi's head. She probably didn't want to know. But really she had already forgiven the twerps. They weren't bad guys she decided, just not well-mannered ones.

"Well, you can. But I won't."  She replied bemusedly.

Ayumi unlinked their arms and skipped ahead. "We'll just have to wait and see!" she added loftily.

O.O

Kagome pushed on the old wood of the window above the kitchen sink. With a groan it opened and let the sounds of summer float in on a current of balmy heat.

"I'm going to watch you from here Sota, okay?"

"Okay" he called back from a distance.  He was running out to the street to play with some neighborhood kids.

The cicadas were ringing, children were playing in the streets, and no matter how many windows and doors were open there were never enough breezes to stop the sweat from collecting on Kagome's forehead and back.

It was so hot, and Kagome was a hot mess. Well at least her hair was, thanks to the ruthless humidity that came with summer.

Kagome paused in her filling the water pitcher and contemplated dumping it over her head. And then refilling it and dumping it over her whole body.

But it would take her forever to clean the floor after soâ€¦she turned the water back on to fill it the rest of the way.

Thankfully her mother had already made lunch for her and her brother before she left, so cleaning and keeping an eye on the place was really all she had to do until they got back that night.

Yawning she looked dreamily out the window to see the children coloring the streets with chalk patterns and drawings. The drawings were nothing spectacular- just a few cats and dogs, some hopscotch, and a few indistinct doodles here and there.

She watched them somewhat wistfully. She remembered playing with chalk, and always getting covered in it somehow. Her brother had started drawing a badly formed cat with chalk when he waved her over to join him. She shook her head and lifted the pitcher and mouthed 'making iced Kool Aid' at him.

He mouthed back 'why?'

No way was she going out into the sun today, she might get a tan, and hotter. Not reasons a young boy might understand.

She looked up pointedly at the sun, then at the sweat beading down her chest, then back at him like he was crazy. His face was still blank so she then panted and fanned herself.

He still didn't seem to get it so she shrugged and mouthed 'because why not?'

He laughed, made some armpit fart motions and then lifted his arms to the side like he was an airplane and ran away in zig zags.

 _Ahhh,_ _the bliss of being a young idiot._

Kagome shook her head, she loved that kid, but what she wouldn't do to be anywhere but there right then. Like out shopping in an airconditioned mall with Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi.

That's right, they were all ecstatically shopping without her right at that moment. And they were probably laughing about it too.

Okay maybe they weren't laughing about it. They were all still going out together on Saturday, But, apparently her friends had decided they couldn't go the extra day without putting some shopping hours in and had gone out to look for hair ornaments together, sans Kagome. Who had been stuck at home with some good ol honor bound babysitting.

But the girls had sweetly promised her they were leaving the whole yukata shopping for when she was free, "tomorrow, because we totally need your help and fashion expertise girl."  Eri had assured her over the phone.

 _Bunch of weaklings. Not one ounce of loyalty in the lot of..."_ Okay, but you owe me some Boba!" Kagome had chirped in a dangerously light tone.

After a moment of tense, worried silence and deliberation Eri agreed, "Deal! I hope you're not too mad!"

She was, but she knew she shouldn't be. She knew it wouldn't be right for her to expect her friends to give up their fun just because she couldn't join them. So Kagome assured Eri she wasn't, hung up the phone and screamed into her pillow in frustration. Because she really did want to go.

Her smothered scream had mildly alarmed her mother that morning who was still on edge after the whole, her baby was almost kidnapped or raped episode in a dark alleyway in the middle of the afternoon just last week. 

Kagome felt pretty safe though. Later that night, after the incident, they had found the crazy guy two or three blocks away from the crime scene with gashes on his body and in a state of shock.

They found his wallet which had actually had her name on a scrap of paper in it with the route to Cold Things drawn, and his ID. Which, after they ran it, told them his name was Ricardo, and that he had a history of public aggression, drugs, and nudity.

They said he was probably attacked by a giant dog based on the cuts and scratches he turned up with, but he wouldn't answer any of their questions and they couldn't find the beast.

Although terrified at the realization that it was some crazy, dangerous beast that had jumped down behind her, Kagome was grateful to the animal that must have saved her anyhow. She hoped they didn't find it, when they did, they would probably try to put it to sleep.

Kagome went to the station the next day to see her attacker in a line up. She picked him out and got to leave knowing he wouldn't be coming after her again. She decided she could probably continue going around Tokyo with some semblance of safety. Like, to go shopping.

Speaking of shopping, although still slightly irritated with her friends, Kagome was actually pretty psyched about the free Boba she was getting tomorrow.

Suddenly Kagome's hands felt very cold, "Ah!"  _Ice water on my hands!_

Kagome jumped with a yelp, banging her hand on the faucet. The sudden feeling of ice water running over her hand had shocked her.

"Ignuhh!" she moaned indistinctly, as she observed her red hand. It looked like she had accidentally overfilled the pitcher during her mental raging. Now she really did have a mess to clean up off the floor.

Sighing she shut off the faucet and grabbed a hand towel and bent over to sop up the spilled water.

 It was then, the one moment she had to look away from the children, that she heard a call for help that sent her heart thumping out of her chest.

"Sota!" She screamed in panic, skittering over the wet towel on the floor. She flung the screen door open and ran with all the fire her limbs would give her and made it in record time to find her little brother being thrown over the shoulder of a strange man. Of whome she could only see from behind as having long white hair spilling down his back and over his shoulder and a red cap on.

Not being able to stop herself in her rage, or halt her momentum, she slammed into the shoulder he had closest to her as hard as she could. His body swung to face her, and he met her with wide golden eyes she was determined to make black as her fist connected with his face.

Immediately he dropped Sota, who she caught quickly and pushed towards the other children. The man looked stunned.

"Run children! Now!" She shouted at them, particularly at a queasy looking Sota. "What is wrong with you go!" Shocked out of their frozen state, the children ran away screaming as Kagome knocked her hand back for another punch. Today she decided she would not run. Did she realize he was probably a heck of a lot stronger then her? Yes. Did she also realize that hand to hand combat with a grown man was futile and she would most definitely lose? No, no she hadn't gotten that far in thinking yet.

She was too preoccupied with adrenaline and the appearance of him regaining his balance. With a curse he rocked forward.

He was big. Suddenly feeling fear again for a moment she hesitated, but then more adrenaline and anger kicked in. "I will call the police asshole, if you don't leave now!" Kagome threatened. She lunged again, convinced that she was about to pulverize his idiotic, child knapping face. But this time her clumsiness kicked in and she twisted her ankle to the side, causing her to lose her balance.

The floor didn't rush up to meet her like she expected, instead she found her wrists were already bound in an excruciatingly strong grip and her body being thrown with inhuman speed over the shoulder of a body bounding to a black SUV. _Huh, real inconspicuous._ She internally remarked before she snapped again with an angry screech and began fighting anew for escape. Kagome kicked, scratched, and fought like a wild animal, but to no avail, as the man threw her into the car.

"Sorry about this kid." Were the last words she heard through her screeches as a cloth was held up to her face. And as the world fell away only then did it occur to Kagome to remember that she _was_ just a sixteen-year-old kid, and that _that_ was why she, she was being kidnapped.

Also, why in the world didn't she tell Sota to call the police? _Stupid Kagome!_

 

**O.O**


End file.
